Sturgeon populations in the Caspian Sea are now in serious danger of extinction. This is primarily a result of reduced natural recruitment following a deterioration in the quality of habitats in both the river and the sea, combined with irrational fishing activities. Within this context, the desire of the newly-arisen Republics bordering the Caspian to re-open the sturgeon fishery in the sea has absolutely no scientific foundation and will prove to be an ecological disaster. There is an urgent need to conclude the International Agreement between Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iran on the conservation, reproduction and rational exploitation of the Caspian sturgeon. The bases for this agreement must be (1) recognition of the fact that sturgeon populations are sustained by an ecosystem that comprises the entire Caspian Sea and the rivers that flow into it (primarily the Volga); (2) an absolute ban on uncontrolled fishing for sturgeon in the sea, and (3) that national fishing quotas must reflect the real contribution of a particular state to overall sturgeon stocks, Without adequate measures to save them, it is to be expected that the unique runs of Caspian sturgeons will be exterminated within 5-7 years.

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